Three Australian-made CubeSat satellites were launched into orbit in what is considered a major step for the nation’s involvement in the space industry.
Kanyini, Waratah Seed, and GUAVA-2 launched into space from Australia on Aug. 17 as part of SpaceX’s Transporter-11 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The launch came about following collaboration between government agencies, universities, and Australian space businesses.
Kanyini is a South Australian satellite and has capabilities to investigate crop health, forestry, and inland and coastal water management.
“We are excited for Kanyini to unlock more opportunities for research and development of innovative, sovereign Australian space technologies,” said Stephen Mullighan, South Australian state minister for defence and space industries.
Meanwhile, Waratah Seed is a New South Wales (NSW) creation, funded by the government and boasting “cutting-edge” technologies developed by five different space-related start-ups.
Fellow NSW creation CUAVA-2 has been developed to aid in data collection across agriculture, forestry, coastal, and urban areas while also providing information on water hazards and mineral exploration.
CubeSats are a class of nanosatellites that use a standard size and form factor.
According to Nasa, the satellites were created in the United States in 1999 and have since developed into their own industry with the benefit of cheaper scientific space investigations and advanced mission capabilities.
The satellites come in various sizes depending on how many stacked cubes make up a particular block.
The successful launch of Kanyini, Waratah Seed, and CUAVA-2 comes after Curtin University announced three CubeSats had successfully launched from Australia and docked on the International Space Station (ISS).
The three Western Australian (WA) satellites reached the space station on Aug. 6.
The Binar 2, 3, and 4 satellites were launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida aboard a SpaceX rocket before making their way to the ISS.
John Curtin University Professor Phil Bland described the launch as “mind-blowing.”
“The launch of Binar 2,3, and 4 is the next big step for WA’s journey into space,” he said in a statement.
“It shows if you have dreams which are out of this world, whether you’re part of a local business or harbouring hope for a career in the space industry, you no longer need to leave WA to reach the stars.”
The Australian Space Agency is set to send the nation’s first lunar rover, fittingly named Roo-ver, to the Moon later this decade.
